The introduction of cyclosporine for immunosuppression during the 1980's revived interest in transplanting organs and tissues, specifically, the liver, pancreas, heart, lung and heart-lung. However, preservation methods that are successful for kidneys have proved unsuccessful for these other organs. Until recently, the clinical preservation of the heart, liver and pancreas was kept to a minimum and to no longer than six to ten hours. Extending preservation time for these organs would have the same impact on their transplantation as it did on kidney transplantation, namely, increasing organ availability, decreasing organ wastage, increasing organ sharing, and reducing costs.
Organ transplant injury is believed to arise from two distinct components: damage induced during storage and damage resulting from reperfusion. See, e.g., G. Den Butter et al., Transplant. Proc. 25, 1633 (1993). Consistent with these two distinct sources of injury, two distinct types of solutions are available to extend the preservation time of organs: organ preservation solutions and organ rinse solutions.
Organ preservation solutions are used to store organs prior to transplant. An example of such a preservation solution, sometimes referred to as "University of Wisconsin" solution, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,283 (see also U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,230) (available from E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. under the trademark VIASPAN.TM.). Note that G. den Butter et al., supra, working with University of Wisconsin solution, conclude that glycine is protective in organ preservation and transplantation only when given to the recipient.
Organ transplant rinse solutions provide a useful compliment to organ preservation solutions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,771 to Lemasters and Thurman describes a solution for rinsing other preservation and storage solutions from an organ prior to implantation. This solution, referred to as "Carolina Rinse," comprises, in one liter of solution, from about 0.12 to about 1.2 mM adenosine; monosaccharide, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium ions; water for injection sufficient to make a liter of solution; with the solution having a pH of about 6.0 to 7.5 and a concentration of potassium of less than 6 MEQ/L.
An object of the present invention is to provide organ transplant rinse solutions with enhanced effectiveness, along with methods of using the same.